It's primarily a matter of grip strength. If your grip slips a little it dampens the upward motion of the bar and also distracts you from focusing on the prime movers of the lift. You should be fully tight all over throughout the lift with both types of grip.
Definitely work on grip strength as for most purposes working symmetrically is better. Mixed grip isn't dangerous if done right, there is a slight increase in risk of a bicep tear but this is minimized by having your arms straight and being at max tension before the bar leaves the ground.
This is a weakness in your glute medials and also your VMO (google them and consider strengthening them). Try to force your knees out, not just keep them stable over your toes. It's possible that your stance is too wide, but it's more likely the weaknesses. Also try to control the amount your knees go forward over your toes, this is why you're feeling it in your quads.
It's entirely possible to get big with just compounds. You will probably find that this is slightly slower than an all out bodybuilding routine, but it shouldn't limit you too much. I only do bicep work very occasionally for injury prevention and while my arms huge they aren't small.
Throwing DBs is a pet peeve of mine. It's often accompanied by a look around the room to see how many people have watched him move some massive weights. Just immature guys trying to alpha up the place by over exaggerating taking up space in the environment.
Another chap to ignore! Very common in most commercial gyms.Then there's vain gym guy. I don't see him as much, but he seems to be passing himself off as a personal trainer. Whenever I see him, he is trying to show someone how to do an exercise, but he ends up just trying to show off how much weight he can lift, while checking himself out in the mirror and using really bad form. The last person you would want as a PT!
Anyway, that is it for my questions and musings for now. Still enjoying the gym. My weight has come down a little, but my bodyshape has changed a lot more than the weight loss would lead you to believe. In a couple of weeks I am going to start increasing my food intake and start a long bulk.
Sounds like it's all paying off for you though so keep up the good work
On the subject of straps...
I agree that for the average gym goer who has no interest in it doesn't matter too much if you use them, but it does matter some
In terms of absolute strength and strength training, your only as strong as a weight you can hold on to. If you're just purely bodybuilding I wouldn't worry about it, but otherwise grip is worth addressing IMO. It's also really easy to train and you can see really rapid strength increases doing simple things like heavy static hangs for time. If you want to be "strong" a couple of mins at the end of a session isn't a high price to pay. Also, straps add way more to the lift than a belt for the vast majority of people. A belt is not a lifting aid.
Deadlifts were good tonight, 5x5x200kg (mixed grip
) was pretty easy and still nice and fast. I'm a little sore in my lower abs/psoas for some reason but hopefully it won't effect Squat Friday! Had a slightly weird moment when one of my mates came in and told me there were two spanish people having sex in my resistance bands
. When I went to check they were doing some weird stuff, like being wrapped in them, so I politely told them to please put them back in my bag. The promptly obliged and scurried off, but, you know, wtf??!
. Got two good groups that frequent mine. Both groups consist of one short black guy who is fairly cut but with no real mass, and a really tall lanky best mate, its like a buddy cop film.